Introduction
As we prepare our hearts to go through this message, I would like to discuss something that is very important to my heart: personal discipleship. You know, being a follower of Christ is more than simply a name; it is a journey that transforms us from within. In Luke 9:23, Jesus encourages us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses every day, and follow him. That is a hefty ask! It is about making daily decisions that reflect our faith and strengthen our relationship with God. As we explore this issue, consider how our daily lives, relationships, and problems are all part of this magnificent path of following Jesus. I ask you to join me in discovering what it actually means to follow in His footsteps and how we may assist one another along the road.
Opening Prayer
Father God, thank you for this time together as we study Your Word. Please allow the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts to show us your amazing truths. Father, please bless us with the desire to create a personal discipleship plan so we may draw closer to Jesus. Amen!
Scripture Reading
Luke 9:23
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Purpose
The purpose of personal discipleship is to help us become more like Christ. It is about living out our faith in Christ every second, minute, and hour of every day. We must also teach others to do the same.
Biblical Foundations of Discipleship
Personal Discipleship is a Sacrifice
Luke 14:25-35
Great numbers of people followed Jesus out of the Pharisee’s house, but He was not moved by their fervor. Most of the people in the gathering were not the least bit interested in spiritual matters, he realized. A few dreamed He would conquer Rome and create David’s promised kingdom; others heard He fed the poor, yet others wanted merely to see miracles. They were hoping for the wrong things.
Turning to them, Jesus began a discourse meant to purposefully thin out the numbers. Regarding personal discipleship, Christ made it abundantly evident that He is more concerned with quality than with numbers. Regarding saving lost souls, He wants His house to be filled (Luke 14:23), yet in the matter of personal discipleship, He wants just those who are ready to pay the price.[1]
Luke 9:23
Perhaps Jesus would explain this verse this way to his followers today: that the last road you take will lead you to a criminal’s cross if you keep following me. It is not a gold cross on a chain that makes the person wearing it look better. There is not any art in the museum that would make an artist look better, or that would amaze a young art student. It is not a big cross on top of a church that shows where the so-called holy place is. Not at all! This cross is one of the worst ways to kill someone in the world. You cannot wear this cross. You need to handle it. Bring it to the place where the government executes. At the same time, it turns into the gas chamber, the electric chair, and the lethal injection for you.[2]Have you ever seen the cross this way? Is this the cross that you bear, or is it a picture on the wall or a gold chain of sorts?
Examples of Discipleship in Scripture
Acts 2:42-44
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.”
The Christians of the early church were devoted to the apostles and each other, and they appeared to have a genuine love for each other. To disciple others, you must first take up your cross, be a student of Christ (as mentioned earlier), and then love and teach others to do the same. It is that simple!
Develop a Personal Relationship with God
Sharing the Gospel
Romans 1:16-17
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
We have to understand this about Paul. All human efforts must acknowledge human shortcomings. People grow bored, disheartened, exhausted, and disillusioned; this causes their work to suffer as well. Paul had been closely involved in his ministry for about thirty frantic, energy-sapping years at the time of writing the Roman epistle.
What he went through would last most individuals half a dozen lives in that he had gone through suffering, experienced stress, and exhilaration. Great successes had visited his labors, yet persistent difficulties dogged his feet. Still, his excitement had not lessened at all. It is easy to forget that he was approaching sixty years of age as we learn about his ambitions to visit Rome; such is the vitality and vision of his mind and speech.[3]
We must never be ashamed of the Gospel regardless of the trials we experience. Think about what Paul experienced before writing this epistle, and he stated, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” Some of us may never feel what he experienced, and we will not even share the Gospel with family, let alone strangers. So what does that say about us?
Integrity and Character
Colossians 3:17
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Paul ends his directions on appropriate behavior in the church and in relationships with a last remark on how the Christian life should be lived. All things he says—that is, words and actions—should be done under thankfulness to Jesus and in his name. This line exactly relates to his theological debate in Col 1–2, in which he characterizes Christ as adequate and preeminent. If such is the case, as Paul has amply demonstrated, all should be done for Christ and in Christ. Therefore, the moral life should be sought as it is one in line with the picture of the Creator (3:10).[4]
How do you feel about your character and integrity, and would Christ approve of them? We have to work hard on this one as I feel this is the most vulnerable area in our walk. I have seen countless times how the enemy can ruin family relationships, marriages, and friendships because we let our guard down.
Community
Discipleship and the Christian community have been beautifully defined in this way because they are crucial not only for believers but also for their spiritual implications. Discipleship entails a personal decision to follow, as well as knowing Christ in a more personal manner. To be a disciple is not in itself intended to be done on one’s own; it is better done in the context of community. Hence> In Hebrew 10:24,25, it is added, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards faith and love and good deeds, not giving up meeting with one another, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” Such interaction with fellow believers is quite vital as it allows them to openly say how they struggle, how they have overcome, how they encourage others, or how they are encouraged.
The role of a community in personal discipline is very critical. The importance of community in personal discipleship is evident and cannot be downplayed. In Acts 2:42-47, we find the first church engaged in the apostles’ doctrine, the breaking of bread, and in prayer. This common life produced strength among the believers and added to the number of those who believed.
When a person is on a discipleship journey in a community, they gain interactions, experiences, and knowledge. This interdependence helps foster an atmosphere in which faith can thrive, affirming our position of not just holding on to our faith but putting it into practical action through living in the community (also referred to as the body of Christ) – 1 Cor 12:12-14.
Besides, in a facilitating atmosphere, personal discipleship extends to aspects of service and mission. To this end, Matthew 28:19-20 says how Jesus asked his disciples to go make disciples of the whole world. This is most optimally achieved when all the believers come together in teamwork, hence complementing each other’s skills and passion in working for the mission.
The community serves not only as a buffer but also as a catalyst for people in trying cases to leave the space they are most comfortable in and perform service activities where they show Christ’s love. Each believer causes history to be changed by taking a mission and acts of service. In this joint effort, every believer delights in how lives, including their own and those they reach out to, are changed, thus achieving the Great Commission.
Conclusion
There are many other facets of personal discipleship that I could have covered today, but I felt it was important to cover the personal part of the equation as you must first understand the basics of personal discipleship before anything else. The example I gave of taking up your cross is where it starts, followed by continually praying for peace and a still heart as you navigate our God’s kingdom. Grab a bible, start reading, and ask the Holy Spirit to expose God’s Word to you. In everything you do, pray, as that is how we communicate with God. However, none of this is possible without first accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, so my question to you is, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? If you have not, we can help you get to know him today so you can start your personal discipleship journey.
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 231–232.
[2] Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 146.
[3] D. Stuart Briscoe and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Romans, vol. 29, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982), 32–33.
[4] Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Col 3:12–17.